Jack Chick

From Conservapedia

Jack Thomas Chick (b. 1924) is a controversial American Evangelical Christian cartoonist who produces religious tracts. According to the Jack Chick publications website, hundreds of millions of copies of Chick tracts have been read worldwide.[1]

Contents

Chick Tracts

His works are featured in "Chick Tracts," inexpensive comic books designed to be left in public places and to reach out to people who might be passing by. A major theme in his tracts are emotionally wrought portrayals of God's perfect love for his children alongside somewhat more violent images, like homosexuals writhing in agony while being burned alive in the streets of Sodom and Gomorrah[2]. Chick tracts take a Fundamentalist approach to the Bible, with an emphasis on the act of becoming saved. Also, Chick tracts emphasize that becoming saved is something that can be done at any time during one's life, whether that person is a small child or a death row inmate minutes from execution. He is also a member of the King James Only movement. This movement rejects all other versions of the Bible.

Some recurring themes include non-Christian characters being converted at the end of the tract, Chick's belief that the Roman Catholic Church is a tool of Satan, battles over human salvation between angels and demons, arguments for evolution being presented by old, aggressive and quick to anger teachers, the use of an 'accept Christ' form at the end of tracts and suggestions of demonic influence in even comparatively minor events such as the creation of TV series Bewitched.

Criticism

Critics have argued that Chick's tracts rely on stereotypes, faulty logic, and conspiracy theories,[17] including suggesting that the Pope is the Antichrist.

Many Chick tracts depict unrealistic plots to help make their points. Often, Chick tracts depict children in elementary school who have never heard of Jesus, or purport that it is illegal to even discuss religion at all in school.

Several Chick tracts - including most famously "Lisa" (currently out of print), in which a father is heavily implied to have had sex with his preteen daughter and even given her an STD - depict morally-heinous actions as being instantly forgiven through the power of prayer or some similar action. While God does forgive even the most heinous sinners, it cannot be denied that tracts such as "Lisa" and similar present such earthly sins as being of little import to others. Other tracts imply that is is somehow "normal" for Christian parents to not mourn the death of their child if the child was not themselves a Christian.